Distress
by 0-Paradox-0
Summary: Maerad is so distressed over Cadvan! When Cadvan is wounded in attack by dog soldiers i'm a horrid speller Maerad sets out on a journey to save him. Easy? Depends where the journey takes you...DISCONTINUED
1. Waking up hungry

**Before you read this I'd like to thank Queen of Cliffhangers, XKiagaX and PJC. For helping me make it all the better :D**

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Maerad got up slowly, fully aware of the pain in her back. _Cadvan! Where is he? T_he memories of last night drifted into her mind and she almost smiled.

xxx

_He caressed her longingly, slipping his hands slowly around her breast. Maerad watched as he slowly lowered his lips and kissed her.....woman part. She gasped and held his head where it was as he rubbed her thighs._

_xxx_

Suddenly she realised someone was speaking to her and she hadn't been listening, "Maerad, are you listening to me?" asked Silvia looking concerned.

The rest of last nights events made her shiver; she remembered how Cadvan had suddenly gone rigid and pulled away from her. He had reached for his cloak, beckoning her to do the same. It was all over quickly: five dog soldiers had pounced on him out of the bushes and with her elidhu powers gone Maerad was helpless. All she could do was watch, even her bard powers weren't working because the soldiers were guarded by some kind of black sorcery she didn't recognise.

"Maerad!" She looked up and saw Silvia standing at the foot of her bed. So caught up in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed when she walked in," by the light, you gave me a fright!" _She rhymed _was all Maerad could think of that didn't remind her of how Cadvan used to sound when he was worried about her. She answered, " I'm sorry; I have a lot on my mind. Could I go have breakfast now?" Silvia sighed, what would they do with her?

"Okay, but straight back to bed afterwards."

" I will," Maerad nodded, hoping she looked sincere.

* * *

Sitting at the breakfast table was Malgorn, Maerad could tell he exhausted by how his hand shook as reached for a glass. Upon turning around he attempted to smile at her. When she cast her eyes downward without smiling back he sighed, "Sit down, Maerad." She took a chair and studied the table top, finally she said, "Tell me what happened last night."

Malgorn cocked an eyebrow, "You don't remember?"

"No I don't, I would not be asking if I did! For the good of the light Malgorn, don't play games with me!" She was sorry when she said it, but he seemed unperturbed.

"As you wish, a young bard found you about a mile from the gate and brought you here. You were unconscious, but kept whispering Cadvan's name." He paused when Maerad shivered, she was remembering how dark it had been. Dark in her own mind. She wanted to break out, to save Cadvan, yet the walls of her own mind would not allow it. After a while Malgorn spoke again, " You were brought in a severe state of shock and it was reletavely easy for our healers to...examine you." Maerad could feel her cheeks going red,

"What about Cadvan? Did you find him? Tell me you did find him(!)"

"Yes. We found him. However Maerad, he-", she could barely keep from looking impatient.

"Malgorn!"

"He's hurt. Badly." Maerad drew in a sharp breath and closed her eyes tight, she just wanted to shut it all out, and yet she had to know,

"How badly?"

"He's been stabbed, we found him half dead after a long search."

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**Okay, so I just changed the first chapter a bit and put the first and second together-...... and presto! xD**

**Please review so I know what to write next any ideas are welcome.**


	2. Can't leave now!

**Why are all my chapters so short? :( Oh well, at least they're not _completely _rubbish! ;)**

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The tears ran from the young mage's blue eyes freely as she sobbed into her pillow silently. _Cadvan, stabbed! _the thought was almost to painful to bear. Finally Maerad got up, " I shall go see him." she said it to no-one in particular but it made her feel better to say it out load.

Hurrying down the great corridors of Innail, Maerad tried to ignore the pitiful stares that were being cast her way. _For the lights sake, I don't need thier pity! _she thought, though she could feel the hot tears burning her cheeks. Everyone here knew that she and Cadvan were once lovers _'Once', past tense. He **will** survive, he must. _She winced at the possibility that he wouldn't make it.

The healing house was strangely quiet and a nurse took her to a room without saying a word. Maerad followed her, concentrating on the swirls and patterns on the walls to keep her mind off what would be at the end of the journey.

He lay painfully still on the bed and for a moment she thought Cadvan had passed away without her saying goodbye. Stumbling over her feet, Maerad ran towards the bed to his side, " Cadvan," she whispered," please don't go. I need you, my friend, I need you." Before she could stop herself she was sobbing again.

"M-Maerad? Are you safe?"

" Yes, yes I'm safe. Now you must promise me you'll be OK. Promise me, Cadvan! You can't leave me now!" She was sure she caught him smile weakly,

" I'll...be fine."

" Cadvan I just want you to know, that night- I didn't want to leave you. Really I didn't, it's just-", looking at his dying face was proving too hard for her " Goodbye my friend, I can't bere to see you like this. The light shine on your path."Maerad said, choking back the tears,

" And on yours."

With those parting words she ran from the room, Maerad didn't know where she was going, just far away. Very far away.

* * *

The young girl was angry. Angry at him, at herself. _It's all my fault, why did I leave him?!, _" It's all my fault!"

" Maerad don't cry," Silvia was in the room again and she hadn't heard. Again. _I wish she would stop doing that. _" It's not your fault, there was nothing you could have done."

" Am I really so weak, Silvia? That I could do nothing to help him. I ran and hid, Silvia! I hid!"

" Maerad I didn't say-"

" It doesn't matter whether you said it or not. You know it's true." She shook Silvia's hand of her shoulder roughly, and turned so she would not see her shameful tears. Silvia got up and left. Maerad heard her shut the door and as soon as she was gone, threw herself back on the bed and resumed her sobbing. _Why is my life going so wrong?_

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**Awwww! I'm so evil! Look at this-**

**Love shines brightest in the dark, without love it is darker still. **

**I'm not quite sure what that means, but it sounds really wise! XD**

**yours,**

**lulabybaby**


	3. We leave tonight

Maerad burst into the room more excited than she had ever been since she went to go see Cadvan in the healing houses. " We can save him! We can save him!", her face had never been so many colours. Her cheeks were flushed rose red and her eyes were sparkling silver in sea blue. The contrast to her dark hair was striking.

" Maerad calm down. We can save who, who can we save? What's happened?" Indik was already reaching for his sword,

" No, no. There's no danger. It's Cadvan, I know how to save him!" Indik removed his hand from the hilt of his sword and sighed,

" Maerad, we've had this conversation before. I know you're still hopeful, but this is Cadvan's battle. I hate to tell you this, but there's nothing you can do for him. I'm sorry." She was unperturbed,

" This time it will be different! Hem is coming and look," she produced a book Indik hadn't even noticed she had been carrying, " this flower, the Server lily, it can save him! Hem can heal him with this flower!"

" It also says it can only be found in Arkan's domain," he eyed her travelling pack which she was holding," I forbid you to go there."

" I will go whether you forbid it or not!", she was beginning to get annoyed at his dreary thinking,

" No! You will not! I'll send someone else."

" Arkan trusts me, it must be me. It must be me because-"

" Because what Maerad?! Because what?!" In almost a whisper she answered,

" Because Cadvan is the love of my life." Staring defiantly at Indik she saw his features soften for less than a second, then the moment passed. He turned around and strode away,

" No. Maerad. No_." He doesn't understand! No-one ever understands! Fine, I'll leave without their permission. I will save Cadvan, even if I must die trying. _

_

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_

It was dark, all the better for the young girl sneaking through the shadows. Innail was just as beautiful at night, but when you don't want to get caught- it can be very, very sinister. Even the night flies all seem to want to bite you, all the creaking doors you pass through want to sound the alarm and the tiles echo more than usual. Luckily, the horses were silent.

_" Imi?" She whispered, " Where going on a journey, Imi, a long one. Are you up for it?"_

_" To do what, Maerad?" The mare enquired sleepily,_

_" To save Cadvan."_

**OOOOOO! Maerad's breaking the rules! XD**

**please review!**

**yours,**

**lulabybaby**

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	4. Oh, great!

**Sorry it took me so long to update! Homework and all that jazz. XD

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The rain fell so heavily it almost blinded the mare and her determined rider. The stone hard darts of rain hit the earthy ground with a deafening crash, driving all the woodland creatures back into their holes and trees. Imi struggled to keep her footing and Maerad to keep her balance as they raced away from Innail. Moving as fast as they dare, the two raced North to rescue a certain dying man and were not going to let rain get in their way.

_Just a little further, my friend _Maerad whispered in the puffing horse's ear_, think of Cadvan_. Imi snorted in reply and pushed herself even more with a last burst of speed. Maerad had just begun to look for a place to rest the night when an unnaturally bright light blinded her and she fell from her mount with a soft thud.

After what seemed like an age of lying there, she felt her frail body being lifted up and hoisted onto the back of a horse. It certainly wasn't Imi though. Maerad could hear the mare putting up a fight and suddenly a loud gunshot. Dread took over her mind and she closed her eyes tight, hoping that maybe-by some miracle- it was all a dream. Bringing her back to the real world and filling her with new hope was Imi's nose against her skin and Maerad knew she had to get away as soon as possible. Cadvan was dying.

* * *

In spite of herself, Maerad had drifted into a troubled sleep as she was being carried away and awoke in a splendidly luxurious room, staring at a white ceiling.

In the right corner was something strange Maerad had never seen before. There was a screen, and a little board with letters on it. It was very strange and she thought it better to stay away from it. Everything else was familiar, but it was stuff you imagined in a princess' castle when you were younger. A small window with a beautiful view of hills and mountains alike, a large fire place, a couch of dark red by it and vanity table. Not to mention the bed in which Maerad was sleeping in. The duvet was a deep red just like the couch, decorated with silver flowers spreading from the foot upwards and it was amazingly comfortable and soft. The bed posted rose high up and draped from them were almost see through pinkie curtains.

* * *

It was all very well apart from the fact that her ankle was tied securely to one of the bed posts, by a chain just long enough to allow her to travel around the room. She'd have to think a way to get out of this one.

Alive.

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**HE-HE-HE! Couldn't keep you waiting too long, now could I?**

**Lulabybaby X X XD**


	5. Evil little screen

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I'm soooooo sorry it took me this long to update! Plz don't be mad! D: plz? XD

**I was suffering from idea block, just couldn't think of a thing to write!**

**Cadvan's POV**

I was woken from my deep slumber by my door being flung open angrily by a very displeased bard, " Did she come through here?" Malgorn demanded.

" Who? And calm down. You should have no reason to be mad me, considering I am of the male sex. Besides," I added with a smirk," I'm very, very poorly and not at _all _well." I said in a feminine voice. Upon seeing his reaction to being mocked I couldn't help but laugh. An action which cost me dearly, for my stomach wound was not quite healed yet. That was no ordinary sword.

" I guess not then. Let's just hope we get to that - and no offence- completely off her rocker, girlfriend of yours before that human ice pole does. Honestly Cadvan, no woman should be that loyal, it's not possible." With that and an extravagant, completely unnecessary sweep of his night blue cape he was gone. Leaving me to puzzle over what Maerad could possibly have gotten herself into this time...

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**Third person/ narrator's POV**

_The corridors were eerie yet beautiful, long and yet seemed short for not being able to see more than a meter or so ahead, even with a magelight. Maerad was walking slowly along these corridors as if in a daze, her hair had grown unnaturally long and was trailing along the floor behind her in a long plait. Her dress was that of a simple cream gown frilled at the bottom, which stopped just above her knees and a dark, blood red cape with a hood that swished gently around her ankles. Her feet were adorned by dainty silver shoes, sparkling with clear crystals as was the the hilt of her sword hanging from her waist by a leather belt. It gave her the look of a twenty year-old red riding hood. The only thing that was the same was the fastening on the cape. The Arum Lilly in dazzling gold._

_She came to a huge oak door carved with snowflakes. She put her hand over the handle and twisted it, only to be greeted by an otherworldly blast of cold air and blinding light.... _

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Maerad woke up shivering from the dream, knowing straight away that Arkan was aware of her little field trip. _But how? _she puzzled. The stakes had just been risen even higher.

Maerad was afraid. Not of her captors who seemed to mean well. They had told told her she was travelling in bandit territory and had refused to allow her to leave until a safer route was planned. No, she wasn't afraid of them. It was that the screen in the corner that frightened her.

Last night she had gone up to it and pressed one of the letters. The words, 'Please log in', appeared on the screen, startling her. She clicked the words and to her absolute horror the screen began to speak," Please enter a username and password." It said.

" Who's there?" Maerad thumped the board of letters as she backed slowly away, " What does log in mean?!" The contraption gave a loud beep and Maerad retreated to her bed for the rest of the night , thoughroughly shaken. The people were nice. That thing was not.

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**I'm not going anywhere with Maerad encountering a computer. It was just something I wrote. Utterly pointless something I wrote. I am also not going to talk about her captors. This story is NOT about them.**

**yours,**

**lulabybaby XD**


	6. Escape!

**Soooo sorry for the whole no update thing! here u go!**

_That's it! I'm getting of here! By the light I cannot take this doing nothing anymore! Cadvan is dying. The love of my life is dying. He's dying_. Maerad screamed into her pillow in a fit of emotion. It was at least a week since she had been outside, a week since she was taken in to be 'kept safe' against her will, a week since her quest to save Cadvan was interrupted. The thing in the corner sat there and watch her, its lights blinking now and again as if taunting her. _It can't be alive, _she thought,_ it has no heart._

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The night was warm and there was some faint moonlight. Maerad rounded a corner and so to her dismay a group of men with a light coming towards her. She pressed herself as far as she could go into the wall and prayed silently that they were not paying to much attention to their job. No such luck.

The minute the light passed over her hiding place one of them gave a shout and reached out a large hand to grab her. Maerad did not wish to harm these men, but she had to keep moving, who knew how many people had heard the yell of shock? She held her hand to her face and white light gathered in her palm. _I'll only shock him, _she thought. Then she sent out the bolt and the guard landed on the ground, taking his friend with him. Voices sounded far away and were coming closer, but it was dark and the buildings were packed close together- Maerad had no idea which way to go. She sent out her hearing. The shouts were getting closer and suddenly a white light whistled past her ear. _They have Bards here?!_She looked around frantically and-luckily- heard neighing towards her right. Have you ever run a race and seen the finish line in sight after a long, grueling run? That's what it felt like for Maerad.

Inside the stables, Imi was whining like a friightened colt and Maerad wasted no time untiying and mounting her.

_"My friend," _She said,"_we must continue North."_

_"But which way is North?" _Imi was getting more and more frantic.

_"Calm down. I have taken a compass. Head into the woods." _

The reared up high and raced away. The moon as a background and them as two shadows, one with a cape. They must have seemed like mythical heroes.

They ploughed through the deep undergrowth, Maerad cutting a path with her sword. They went swiftly, ad were swallowed up by the night melting into the shadows like black bees to a black hive. Chased by hungry bears, carrying swords.

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They soon found a cave in which to hide from their raged pursuers and Maerad dsmounted, speaking soothing words into Imi's ear.

_"Sleep." _She said. And the fatuigued horse gladly complied.

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**I'm realllllllllllllllllly sorry it took sooooooooooo long to update. I was so busy and this story just lost my intrest for a while. This is short, but I wanted to put something up.**


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